Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Bullet Heaven 2D Action Game Now Using Konami’s Run-and-Gun IP

The only sole mission an expansion pack for Vampire Survivors, the de facto bullet heaven action game, needs to accomplish is deliver new weapons that get better and overpowered over time, show off a brand new level or two where you can play around with said weapons, and new characters you can bullet-swarm the entire stage with. That is the crux of Vampire Survivors -overwhelming the screen with so much clutter that destroys everything and everyone.

The new Konami-collab Vampire Survivors DLC, Operation Guns, does all that and delivers on the explosions and projectiles using the publisher’s legacy run-and-gun IP Contra. The fact that developer poncle didn’t take the obvious route -Castlevania series- for its DLC is a meta-joke in itself, but somehow the absurdity of the collaboration works.

Autofire

Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns DLC introduces a new stage called Neo Galuga, which is a mish-mash of all the Contra stages you’ve played from the NES titles to the Megadrive entry Contra Hard Corp. You pick any of the Vampire Survivor characters on hand, play through the stage and survive as long as you can from waves of Contra enemies, and then eventually open up the coffin in the stage containing the first of your Contra character: Bill Rizer. From then on, you go on an unlocking and discovery spree: you’ll get to see Bill and the rest of the Contra cast’s new arsenals like the Long Gun (straight shooter in the direction you’re walking at) and the C-U Laser (hard to aim, but penetrates through enemies in a single line).

Unlike the rest of the DLC for Vampire Survivors, you do need to aim proper with the weapons you’re given when you’re at low levels, so there is a modicum of skill needed. As for what you’ll be shooting at, the enemies come in all shapes and sizes from the grunts in the first stage to even the giant turtle and the mutant dogs from Contra 3. You’ll also get to shoot at the flying weapon capsules that can give you either temporary rapid fire, a barrier to take one hit, or a bomb that deals screen-clearing damage. All of these are helpful in the early and mid-segments of your personal power quest.

Of course, the name of the game is to evolve your weapons tenfold, and as soon as you figure out Operation Guns’ new system involving the Weapon Powerup suitcases, you’ll eventually get to a point where aiming and moving is optional. The evolved versions of the new weapons are just straight-up busted; just the way Vampire Survivors fans want it. From the C-U Laser’s final form where each shot splits up if it hits any enemy, to the Blade Crossbow’s BFC2000-AD which has a vertical column super attack that’s just like Richter Belmont’s powered-up cross attack in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. In case you couldn’t tell, that’s my favourite of the bunch.

You’ll be replaying the game’s Neo Galuga stage a ton just to get the powerups and characters you want, figuring out the conditions and whatnot. You’ll also get to unlock a new Hectic Highway stage which is generally just a straight line and an enemy gauntlet rolled into one. It’s not the most creative and it’s just done out of nostalgia’s sake -for Contra: Hard Corp fans- but it’s a fun diversion that has its kicks. The best part about all this? You can take your new characters and just power on through the base game to see how far you can get to without Death killing you. Just doing that while building your own personal death circle filled with missiles, prism sword blades, void mines, and Contra-patented spread shots (yes, that’s also in because why not?) is very cathartic and entertaining to create and behold.

The only major issue in this DLC is that it’s not as detailed or fleshed out as the Tides of the Foscari DLC. But with such a steal of a price tag to use Contra characters and go hog wild on the rest of the game and DLC stages with overpowered superguns? There’s really not much fault to find in that, if I’m being honest. If you just want to see poncle’s bullet hell game get rocked with some Contra sprites, gunplay, and some retro tracks playing (with three different “filters” to boot), by all means dig in. I’m having a blast just using these fun new characters in this bullet heaven universe this coming weekend and the next few ones.

Final Score: 80/100